1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to recycling systems, and more particularly, to an improved and more efficient method and system for separating and recycling the materials in freezers and refrigerators.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that many household appliances, such as freezers and refrigerators, contain toxic materials that must be separated and removed and recycled or destroyed. Various techniques and processes have heretofore been employed in order to recycle portions of freezers and refrigerators. However, none of the known techniques or processes are successful in recycling or destroying R-11.
Large quantities of CFC-11 are stored in rigid cell foams, notably polyurethane foam or R-11 used for insulation of refrigerators, freezers and the like. The CFC-11 is used as a foam-blowing agent in the manufacture of polyurethane. The CFC-11 slowly outgasses from polyurethane, with an estimated half-life of 100-300 years and is a known contributor to ozone depletion. Heretofore, in an attempt to prevent the outgassing of CFC-11, the R-11 was pulverized. However, since the remaining CFC-11 in the R-11 is so strongly bonded to the foam, pulverization leaves two waste streams containing CFC-11 and pulverized foam with CFC-11 still attached. If sent to a landfill, this pulverized foam will eventually release the ozone depleting CFC-11 into the atmosphere as it decomposes. Therefore, the existing systems do not remove sufficient amounts of CFC-11 from R-11, nor are they applicable to a refrigerator and freezer recycling program.
The present invention provides improvements in destroying CFC-11 contained in R-11 and recycling and recovering other materials from refrigerators and freezers in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This is accomplished by utilizing a system that achieves a 90% material recovery rate and packages the R-11 for transport to an incinerator where it is destroyed. The refrigerators and/or freezers to be recycled are placed on a platform and the platform is loaded on a conveyor or roller transport system. The refrigerator or freezer is then moved through a plurality of stations in the system where various materials therein are removed or drained. The refrigerator or freezer is then placed horizontally on a platform and sent to a large band saw where the remaining housing is cut into a number of pieces to allow the metal shell and interior plastic pieces to be stripped away. The contaminated polyurethane foam is then removed and packaged for shipment to an incinerator for proper disposal of the R-11.
Therefore, it can be seen that the present invention meets an existing need in the art for an improved and more efficient method and system for eliminating CFC-11 held in R-11 and more effectively recycling appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers.
Accordingly, It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved system for recycling appliances. It is a particular object of the present invention to provide an improved system for more efficiently recycling the materials in refrigerators or freezers. It is another particular object of the present invention to provide an improved method for removing polyurethane foam from refrigerators and freezers and packaging the foam for shipping to an incinerator. It is yet another particular object of the present invention to provide an improved method for achieving substantially improved recycling of approximately 90% of the materials utilized in a refrigerator or freezer.